People's Parade for Peace, Equality, Jobs, Social & Economic Justice

Please join Veterans For Peace and other Peace and social / economic Justice organizations for this historic 2nd Annual “People’s Peace Parade" in South Boston.

Themes for the Day:

How is the War Economy Working for You

Bring the Troops Home and Take Care of Them When They Get Here

Cut Military Spending, Save Jobs, Teachers, Fireman & Police

Peace Is Patriotic! Not a Dirty Word

No War on Iran

Last year, Veterans For Peace were denied permission to walk in South Boston's traditional St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The stated reason given by the Allied War Veterans Council was that the organizers “did not want the word peace associated with the word veteran”.

Seventeen years ago the gay and bisexual community applied to be in the parade and they too were denied. They sued and it resulted in a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that any group that organizes a parade can exclude whomever they like.

Last year with only three weeks to go, Veterans For Peace applied for their own permit and invited the gay and bisexual community to join the peace movement in a parade. The parade had over 500 participants, a Duck Boat, Grand Marshals, The Leftist Marching Band, five divisions, Veterans, peace groups, Join the Impact (GLBT), religious groups and labor. It was a grand success and warmly welcomed by the residents of South Boston. It was also front page news in practically all the Boston Newspapers and was reported on TV and radio.

This year, once again, Veterans For Peace were denied. This year they were not given a reason why, just denied. So if you are a veteran of the U.S. Military and carry a gun or drive a tank you are invited to participate, but if as a veteran you stand for peace you are summarily denied permission to participate.

We invite all progressive groups (Peace, Environmental, Occupy Everywhere, Civil Rights, Women’s Rights, GLBT Rights, Labor, and Faith Groups) to please join us in the St. Patrick’s Peace Parade: the Alternative People’s Parade. Please join us in this show of solidarity against bigotry and exclusion in the City of Boston.

This is the largest Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the country, attracting in excess of 700,000 people, and is an excellent opportunity to get our messages of Peace, Equality, Inclusion, Jobs, Social and Economic Justice out. Please Join Us! Send endorsements to info@masspeaceaction.org.

To Register, send and email to register AT justicewithpeace.org with your name, email address, and affiliation (if any). You will receive an email from one our administrators with further instructions.